ehrkes
March 16th, 2005, 09:12 PM
FOR CRUISE CRITIC POSTING
WESTERDAM REVIEW FOR 3/6/2005 through 3/13/2005
This is a very detailed review of our cruise, just giving you enough of what you want to hear and know about on your cruise.
What more could we say? The whole experience on the Westerdam was,
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
and most WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is the Holland America, Westerdam.
This is a review and comments from our cruise on the Westerdam, which sailing on Sunday, March 6th and returned Sunday, March 13, 2005.
My wife and I did the Eastern Caribbean route and loved it!
About us: Shawn, I am a 35 year old, average guy. I am a computer animator, fine artist, and small business owner of handcrafted pets treats and toys web business called BulaPets.com, which is our hobby, turned small business.
My wife is Laura, she is 36 years old, an above-average beauty. She is a writer, and spent the cruise rereading/editing and developing her characters in her first book that she is writing. She also works for a Fortune 500 company and she does high-end business communications.
The FLYING to the PORT
We flew out via AA, American Airlines. Nice airline, got offered little box lunch with snacks for $3, we declined, brought with us granola bars, Hershey kisses and other little snacks to eat. Offered one small cup of pop for the entire flight, although you could have requested another cup or two, it was more effort dragging the AA crew away from their idle office gossip-rather than assisting us with another pop or two. So we flew out of Chicago O'Hare Airport on the Sunday of the cruise. We got very little sleep, doing last minute packing and stuffing into our carry-ons last minute items(great suggestions from Cruise Critic-plastic suction cups, scotch tape, plastic over the door shoe holder, colorful string and some heavy red or bright colored balloons(tied to beach chairs-always an easy way to find your chair) and some other little things-see Cruise Rituals as what else to bring).
We arrived safely at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood airport(very busy and not very friendly people(airplane people, retail workers and tourists)-both coming and going and mega-long lines everywhere)because we have been here umpteen times we knew the drill, after you get off the airplane-make like the wind or sprint to the bathrooms by the lower level baggage claim area, almost always deserted.
TIP grab the $2.00 wheelie cart(a blessing and such a lifesaver-even if you use it for 5 minutes, nothing is worst that lugging a weeks worth of stuff around with you at the airport…..so then one of you gets the bags, the other one then uses the bathroom, and then switch, look for the Holland America person, holding the sign, they got the ships registers and know which cabin that you are in and can give you extra luggage tags or give you Westerdam or other HAL info…very, very , very NICE people…….thanks to them, the trip was easier…….got our luggage tags, added address labels to them, and added in our other vital information and we were off to the ship.
Got a cab, negotiated first how much….about $12 dollars and I added a small tip….make sure you don't ask the guy at the curb to flag a cab down for you(cabs always keep coming no matter what--and this guy expects a tip(I told this guy to bugger off and thanks for nothing) as we drove away(he tried to keep my door open-so I just went around the other side, got in and shut the door and said lets go……Hey, I am from Chicago, we don't need any aggravations……we arrived at the cruise port, dock 26, it may change weekly…..(we returned at dock #4 and HAL offered a FREE shuttle from dock 4 to dock 26-so that people could get back to their rental cars and where family and friends were waiting to pick them up.
We got out and saw the big sign "Dock workers and PORTERS receive a daily compensation or daily wages, Tipping is not encouraged."
TIP We have always tipped and did so again, I am NOT taking any chances with my luggage sailing away without me……tipped $10 for 4 bags, the female porter smiled and said for us to enjoy the lovely Westerdam. I stood near the entrance, just taking one small glance to make sure that the bags got loaded, and off we went….we got to the port around 1145 am and was very quiet, few cars…..we entered the cavernous warehouse, decorated here and there with some hints of HAL.
Served ice-cold water or fruit juices by HAL workers before getting in line. We got a number, which told the HAL workers which window we got to when we got up front. 8 numbers from 1-8 indicating which HAL agent would help us….don't know if it helped, but I liked the implication of being a number….
Lines were shorter for those who DIDN'T fill out the HAL embarkation forms, and lines LONGER for those who did…..my advice bring one of each of your family members filled out and one blank--see which line is shorter and go with that……we stood in longer line, behind us a National Geographic film crew, or two of the NG film crew guys, complaining, bemoaning, whining all the time in line (15 minutes) about why are we in the long line, we filled out the forms already……GEEZ
As Forrest Gumps mother used to say, "You're on VACATION"(add in that Southern drawl.
Got to the front after 15 minutes or less, was people watching, looking for potential table mates, and hoping who I didn't have to sit with at dinner…hehehe, all in good fun of course. Very courteous and friendly staff member, filled out the rest of our cruise info, we booked the cruise in late January so HAL said we might not get the blue HAL book before the cruise(we didn't) took our pictures and pre-authorized our credit card and put the "hold" on the credit card for two people, seven days, think it was like $450?(he didn't tell us this, we knew from reading the CC postings.
We got out sail and sign cards, which is a light blue card, with your lifeboat station printed on it and you use this for ordering drinks in the bars, to buying something in the gift shop. ALL Bars charge a 15% gratuity automatically.
TIP Bring a plastic id holder, and a cord, also called a lanyard…you can get them at Office max, ten for $3.99 in the office supply aisle. This is where we put our HAL cards, cash and other little things, Laura's hung around her neck, and mine was on a retractable cord, that had a clip on the end of it that clipped and stayed in my pants…..easy access and no more lost cards.
TIP ALWAYS, put your HAL id card, right by your doorway on the little table.
This way, you always know where it is and such and no wasted time hunting for it, take it off when you come in for a nap or the night, and it is going to be there in the morning.
Anyhow, the whole process took 5 minutes or less per family, we all headed to the security line……leave your shoes on, unless they tell you to take them off. Brought bubbled wrapped 3 bottle of wine and 1 bottle of champagne, got through security, very nice and had no questions or problems with bringing our wine aboard…..(packed the corkscrew in the main luggage-handled by our porter).
Walked up and each new area, a Hal person to greet us and tell us where we were and were we going, on a cruise…..hehehe On board about 1215 pm ish……first thoughts, how luxurious, how wonderful, how fancy, how much did this cruise cost us? Luxury everywhere from the carpeting to the hallways old time paintings, to the swords on the main deck aft to the multi-colored flowers in the dining room. And everywhere, fresh flowers, orchids on every table in the Lido, and huge floral arrangements all over the entire ship….I was told by several Mariners and staff that HAL spends nearly a million a week on fresh flowers on all their ships…..is this right?
Red uniformed men ushered us into the elevators, wearing white gloves and whisking us to the Lido deck, while our cabins were readied for our cruise.
THE LIDO FOOD, YUM! SO MUCH TO OFFER EVEN THE PICKIEST, DISCERNING FOOD CRITIC!
The Lido deck, WOW, several food stations throughout, five different areas, the same on both sides of the Lido deck….it is enclosed, invited and very homey……Blue vested guys, carried our trays to our tables, brought us iced tea and water and were very welcoming. Wonderful food choices…..Shawn is the picky eater, but filled his plate each time he went up trying new foods, new dishes and new desserts………there was just so much food to eat, don't overdo it is our advice.
The Lido Deck layout features: 2 large Drink/Beverage/Coffee/Teas 24/hours a day stations. Throughout the day, the Lido restaurant changes for breakfast, served from 6am until 10/1030am for Breakfast. Here is the BREAKFAST layout or you can always use ROOM SERVICE.
TIP leave your completed breakfast card hanging on your cabin door when you retire for the evening(available in the cabin every night)
THE BREAKFAST IN THE LIDO
At the Breakfast, there is the Express-eggs, bacon, breakfast meats, and toast, breads, and bagels(all toasted for you to your liking). There is another breakfast area called the Bistro, which has a full breakfast serving everything breakfast. The Continental area, features, muffins, sweet rolls, cereals(in mini boxes), fresh fruits, and juices, milk etc. There is also 2 omelets areas, and fillings from fruit to seafood for your freshly made omelet's…..for LUNCH, it opens around 1130 am until 2pm for the busy main Lunch areas….and until 4pm for the salad bar and sandwiches counter….
The LUNCH features, The Wok, many Oriental dishes, The Italian, which is pizza (very good and light) and pasta (heavy on the oils in the pasta) and the Bistro, which is meats from the rotisserie and the grill. Also is the huge salad bar with greens, fruits, and mayo-related salads like egg salad or the yummy curry potatoes salad. The Deli makes Dagwood-style sandwiches, no request is denied…..all types of lunchmeats, greens and such……all made to order and even toasted at your liking after the sandwich is made!
The Sweets area, YUM, what more can we say……Fresh ice cream, yogurts, see the daily signs which new flavors, rum raisin, chocolate chip, strawberry, every day and evening it seems to have changed……and if that is not enough sweets for you, how about different cakes, pies, and jelloes, freshly made sweet desserts made throughout the day and changing all the time. You want apple pie alamode at 1130am and then at 2pm, have the chocolate mousse.
There is even a whole huge, multi-shelved case of diabetic or sugar free desserts that tasted so good, especially the mangoes mousse, YUM!
The GRILL, Chicago style hot dogs in the Caribbean, yep at the Grill, condiments a plenty, and so much to offer.Also hamburgers, cheese burgers and every day a new item like bbq ribs, bbq chicken, brats, etc. even vege burgers-wrapped/baked in foil so they don't mess with the meat eaters food.
Also a taco bar that was fully stocked and always fresh and filling.
DINNER IN THE LIDO
YES, dinnertime in the Lido is as fancy as eating dinner in the Vista dining room. The dinner tables on the PORT side of the ship are dressed up for dinner, with white table clothes, fresh table linens and the good china for Lido dinner. The had open for dinner, the Italian, pizza and pasta, The Bistro, roasted meats and chickens, and seafood. and also open is the salad bar, drink stations and the Sweets area. Bar stewards also bring your favorite dinnertime
drink or wines, plus the 15% gratuity…..we ate there twice for dinner, usually a pre-dinner before the dinner, grabbing a slice of pizza, or a sweet before the dinner. You don't have to sit in the fancy Lido dinner area also, you can grab any other open table, and just come as you are……no shorts or swimsuits though…..but we preferred eating dinner in the Vista dining room.
The Vista Dining Room
Very nicely decorated, we had nice table for four, 830pm lower level, main seating.
We had some tablemates, that is until her caveman looking, duffers of ass man decided to get up and find another dinner table and left his wife alone with us until he found a new table and drug her away by her hair, as she spoke in mid-sentence and she got up and left as rudely as he did.
Short and sweet what happened was: At Monday dinner, these two creeps from Los Angeles were sitting at out table when we arrived at 835pm.-who both looked shocked when we came up to our table and met one another…….what happened next became the thorn in my foot the whole trip(and I apologize still to my loving wife for my complaining every night about the LA Creeps)
So, we arrived to dinner, they both looked shocked to see us, and as they sat across from one another, I asked how were they, welcome to our table and the likes, and we sat down…..Mr. LA decided that as he didn't talk to me, that this was not going to be…….and he stormed off, after speaking to his wife? girlfriend? whatever, in a foreign language behind his menu, and he ran off to the maitre d……he complained as far as I could see, as my wife proceeded to make small talk with his wife to break the ice…I can read lips, and he clearly said, what are those two doing at our table, we want some privacy, our own table…..blah blah blah, grunts from a caveman.
ANYHOW, as we looked down at our menus, he must have walked up on the side, lower table, we were up two steps in our table space, and motioned or called for her to leave NOW, she did, I looked up, and gasped, she left in mid sentence, I can clearly recall her saying in her poor English………"Oh, my name means flower and my mans name means tree and together we……"(while we looked down at the dinner menu, then we looked up after her mid-sentence)and POOF, she was gone……..We both looked up, and we were like huh, and what? They both left, without saying a word, no apology, nothing….I was so angry and shocked, I was like did I say something? My wife said no, just maybe they wanted their own table or something as my wife tried to rationalize what had just happened, as I felt a storm a coming, I got so upset, how rude, in this day, the utter gall of some people, how dare you treat people so rudely, you are both such tactless and classless people and I hope you enjoyed your private table (I mentioned this cause first, these were the only creeps that we met on the cruise, and over and over again here and there on our cruise) and I also point out that their new table, the private one, was, next to the bar door, and in a heavy traffic area, and next door to the cleaning, plate stacking, clanging area, and surrounded by at least six, huge tables full of noisy, yet classy cruisers………….you heartless, ungrateful, disrespectful, moronic cavemen! A simple apology would have worked wonders, but I doubt that is in your vocabulary.
Anyhow, all the Vista room dinners were delicious, beautifully prepared, and plenty of choices, even for the fussiest eaters like me.
TIP Go to the Vista Dining room anytime after lunchtime to see/peruse that evenings dinner and dessert menu, and whether it was formal or casual etc….this way, you can eat in the Pinnacle or the Lido, if you don't like/want anything on the dinner menu.
Vista Dining Room SERVICE
The service was alright though, I was a little disappointed, I had to unfold my own table napkin, ask for more water, and the eaten food plate usually sat there for 5-15 minutes between courses, we got our dinner salads out of order (with the main entrée) things like that, no dessert offered on the night of the Baked Alaskan, these little things gave the dining staff lower marks, but I still gave them their earned tips, and marked my comment card with names, and details in order to remedy this situation from occurring to anyone else.
Excellent bar service by Aaron Ocampo, he got tons of praise in writing and to his onboard bosses and extra moola for his service.
THE CABIN
As we ate in the Lido deck, and made small talk with new friends, all wide-eyed and very hungry……over the PA system we got to hear that our cabin rooms were ready around 1pm, and off we went. We met our cabin steward, an older HAL employee and very nice and accommodating. We had cabin # 4158, Upper Promenade deck, our cabin was a sideways cabin, with the door in middle of the cabin. Our room was well appointed, and decorated and very spacious for two people. Our room had the big king-sized bed, with pillow top, nick-named Magna-Bed meaning once you laid down for a short nap, the beds invisible magnets stuck you to the bed and you were out like a light. TIP leave the bathroom light on, door closed for just enough room illumination and set the phone/alarm for like an hour or so if you want a short nap, otherwise you will sleep soundly for hours, missing your fun cruise events etc..hehehe.
In the cabin, we had several large limited edition paintings hanging up, and I put up our 15th anniversary signs along with a silver door star, like were celebs, and I drew up some cartoon figures of me and my wife so that we could always find our cabin, even though we were in a quieter area and aft. Nice and quiet, never heard anything. The bed was to the left as you entered the room, and the bathroom, closets were to the right, there is a yellow/dark drape that you can pull closed, separating the bedroom, from the bathroom which was so COOL, this way we could get dressed and showered, and if anyone came in, they wouldn't get a free nudie show!
The bathroom was nice, small shower, and those ice cold, silver grips/bars kept touching me brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!, but the shower pressure was hard enough and had massaging features like normal shower, hard pouring, and deep tissue. The cabinet held all our stuff, my own shelf and my wife's, and we kept a travel bag under the sink(more room) for extra stuff, feminine products, heating pad, extra medicines for motion sickness, gas etc…..
The closet space was nice, one huge closet for long gowns, dresses and suits, and these wooden hangers with clips on them. The other two closets were large and had big deep shelves (6'2 tall), I am 5'11 and I had to tippy-toe to see on the top shelves…..but the shelves folding up or down to make them smaller, or larger, and they lock in place when/wherever position that you use.
The last closet houses the digital safe, all you need is a 4 digit password to lock it and unlock it, very nice, holds up to 2 lbs of junk if you got it, I put in the digital camera, money, passports, jewelry etc. More shelves for socks, t-shirts and such.
TIP Never bring your photo id onshore with you or your passport. Just bring your HAL sail and sign card. I know, they tell you to, but nobody ever showed it, just the HAL sail and sign card and once last thing to worry about bringing ashore!
RENEWAL OF VOWS
We celebrated our 15th anniversary on the Westerdam, and I bought the ROV package that HAL offers. It is worth the money and the goodies you got, was very very nice! In the cabin, was a beautiful huge, bouquet of fresh flowers to help us celebrate our anniversary. We also got dinner in the Pinnacle, and a private invitation to the Renewal of Vows ceremony, performed by the captain, in a special invitation only party!
The ROV ceremony was attended by only 6 couples, and it is such a treat, and yet the best kept secret of the HAL experience, maybe I shouldn't say anymore, but I will……The ROV ceremony is on the Thursday evening of the cruise, at 730pm. it is held in the Oak Room, Observation deck 10 forward. The ROV was originally supposed to be conducted by our first Captain, Captain Dirk Van Den Berg, who left for some reason and was replaced by Captain Jack Van Coevorden. Two very different Captains…….We liked both, but really enjoyed Captain Dirk, who would playfully say, "Wellllllcome aboardddddddd da Weeeessssssssssttttttttteeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrddddddd ddaaaaaaaammmmmmmm" in his heavy Dutch accent., rolling out all of the R'sssss. Captain Jack, was cordial, but very detailed orientated and a lets go kind of guy.
So you dress to the nines and the ROV is very FORMAL, I wore a very expensive Givency suit and Laura wore a long, lilac dress designed by Jessica McClintock. The event started at 730 pm, on Friday night thou, due to an emergency on Thursday evening with a HAL employee cutting off one of his fingers, and severely injuring himself in a sawing/construction accident with a power saw……The cruise director announced as soon as we left Tortola that an emergency has arisen, and the ROV would be rescheduled for the next evening, and that his crew came first along with his HAL guests, we raced warp 9, over to St. Thomas, where the injured HAL man, was taken off the boat, and rushed to a top level medical facility on St. Thomas, about an hours boat ride way from Tortola…WHEW!
So the event was held on Friday night, and was Captain Dirk was replaced by Captain Jack, among hushed whispers and speculation, where was Captain DIRK? We later heard, he has family matters to attend to back home and that Captains switching was a common occurrence one cruises, with two captains.
The ceremony started with very expensive champagne and snacks, followed by more champagne and crying and sweet sentiments during the ceremony.
The assistant cruise director, Christina from Australia read what would happen and gave some inspiring words to the ROV participants and she even cried with us and stayed at our request after the ROV event to sit in and enjoy the evening with us, about an hour for the whole event….so it starts with The captain, who called out the couples name, they rose, went to the front of the huge Grande fireplace in the Oak Room(check it out what a beautiful room) and he then read out some vows and we repeated them(we have the copy of the vows read if anyone wants them-just ask) and we held hands, cried reading our vows and hearing everyone else do the same. One couple was married for 50 years, another older couple for 4 years, and us 15 years…….I was so nervous, I drank about 4 glasses of champagne and never got buzzed……but soon settled down with the reading of the vows……very romantic and very special part of the cruise.
Additional guests are invited at $12.50 extra/per person-a deal!
Next cruise we take, I will bring a video camera for the occasion and instead I brought our new digital camera and took photos with everyone's permission, and the Captains permission of course and it was a wonderful event.
A professional photographer captures your moment of you and your loved one and you and your loved one and the Captain and these photos are delivered to your cabin a day later-included with the ROV package, photo album. The album is soft and 12 by 14 inches and included the photos. You also get a dinner for two in the Pinnacle, make your reservation early in the week!
The captain also gave us our official ROV certificate, which is a legal document, binding us as Renewing our vows at sea, by a Captain. We enjoyed more fancy snacks and champagne for the remainder of the party, as the Captain was called away. We highly recommend this special event for everyone, it is hard to keep a secret, because when you get into the room, you had better grab those invitation cards before your husband or wife does, or she/he will find out, hunny, what is this renewal of vows? but, tell them to bring along that special outfit or dress that you wear/wore to celebrate a big event!
DINNER IN THE PINNACLE
We had the ROV package so got to choose any night and time for dinner in the Pinnacle, a big event…….people always schedule and then cancel their dinners so try to schedule it the first night on board, if not the next morning….call or stop by. We stopped by, and indicated where specifically we wanted to sit, get a good view, have our dinner and by slipping the host a twenty spot, without my wife knowing, ensured that we would have our table.
Dinnertime came, we arrived, waiting 3 minutes to be greeted, not a busy night. The staff was all very handsome and beautiful and made the dinner even more special. The meats were wheeled out, and explained all about the cuts of meat, where they came from and other specifics…each time a person would come to the table they would announce, "Excuse me please." which was nice, but annoying by the 100th time when dessert was being served.
It was very nice, and everything was exceptionally, but I don't think they should charge for it, I feel the HAL Pinnacle employees should get good tips, that is-if they ever do away with the Pinnacle fees.
I didn’t think the highlighted crab cakes, salads and lava cake was any good, but the meat was awesome and the fancy and tastefully decorated Pinnacle still got high marks on our comment cards.
CRUISE TIMELINE AND Other things to do, and good information to read about our cruise week and some stories and places to avoid and or goto…also a log of some Nautical info (at the end of the cruise, you are given a little handout, showing your cruise log, where you docked, when and miles sailed..very cool to put in to your "photo album" or scrapbook.)
Sunday March 6th
1115am Arrived at Port/Pier #26 (changes)
1115am-1145am Stood in line/welcome aboard/security
1215pm Boarded the Westerdam(long walk up ramps)
1215-1pm Eating in the Lido, small ship explorations
1-4pm Found cabin, unpacked luggage (arrived at 130pm)
230-4pm Took first nap, both out like a light.
415pm Lifeboat drill (10 minutes-DON'T Talk-goes Faster)
435pm-630pm Cruise Critic Party with Bluefish in there
aft cabin #8135 (Thanks, huge cabin, very nice people and very
accommodating) All arranged on the CC website board-thanks Cruise Critic!
520pm boat unmoored
554pm Sail away from Ft. Lauderdale
6-8pm,explored the ship, eat some more, and begin to relax.
830pm Late seating dinner(done at 945pm)
10-midnight did a little walking about/deck 3 wraparound teak deck-awesome
midnight BED
(Heard we left behind 22 people-catch up with us in Nassau)
FTL to Nassau 180 miles, avg speed 15 knots
Monday, March 7th
645am docked in Nassau
8am woke up/brkfast in the Lido
8-9am Headed of the ship,
walked Queens staircase, hiked up some big hills,
little window shopping, already hot (82 plus humidity) at
11/1130am. Found cheap water and pop at small drug store
next door to Straw market (too busy-everything imported from China-nothing handmade anymore there) ;(
1135am Back on board Westerdam. Watched people poke along, until
the ship tooted the horn loudly--then they RAN!
1205pm Unmoored and last minute runners.
(Heard we left behind 4 people here, and that those 20 something people made it aboard along with their luggage-whew!)
1220pm Sail away from Nassau A crewman said it best about Nassau.
"We should have just honked our horn and waved as we sailed by!"
my wife and I agreed.
Learned about a club that is called the Hundred Destinations Club?
they sign a pact/agreement and then every time they visit a new port or
stop or country etc-get something in writing as evidence-like a cash receipt from a food mart, or a activities sheet from a city etc, and then they log those trips with a club master, who in turn, adds them to their website (which is hard to find and private) I don't know, I am just reporting it, anyhow, one of the Cruise Critics people who was on board with us, is a member of this club, and said how happy she was to get this port stop,
because by the end of the cruise she would have almost 7 stops--huh?
(She explained, Nassau 1, St Maarten(Philipsburg) 2, St. Maarten, (Marigot) 3, Tender over to Saba 4, Tortola 5, Tender to Norman island 6, Tender to Baths in Tortola 7, and HMC Bahamas 8)
So she actually ended up with 8 stops! and smiled….I don't know sounds like a lot of work to me……She mentioned that she is up to 80/something now and they get a free big something for the 100th destination….
Anyone heard of this?? Let me know more details please.
Most Westerdammers said that Nassau is now a waste of port from 8-12/noon, we heard maybe 40% of the boat passengers disembarked….the rest hung out, enjoyed the Westerdam!
CRUISE CRITIC PARTIES/EVENTS
We missed drinks with the Judge from CC, because needed a long nap again. Sorry Judge-caught up with him at the end of the cruise at Bluefish Sail away party # 2 from HMC.
Attention all Cruise Critics or CCERS……I highly recommend getting together once or twice during your cruise….preferably somewhere with a nice deck space-or someone's cabin who has a great view or room to spare.
I made up a few signs that said, "Cruise Critics Sail-away or Party here"
and added my own cc logo and said/added, "Private party for Cruise Critic members only!" HEHEHEHE, that got some attention, who is cruise critics and how do I become a member(we advised people to visit the website, and if they are worthy-sign up and start posting correctly) hehehe….Stuck this sign on the door outside the cabin-left door propped open, as people came and went, they told us their cc screen name etc, and we hung a sign as people left saying when and where the next cc event was going to be…..aka 2nd event we missed, drinks with the Judge in the Crows Nest, at 2pm after leaving Nassau.
Anyhow, Bluefish and his wife and younger son, hosted all the cc'ers on board in their cabin # 8135, a huge cabin, with a huge wrap-around deck…..one deck below deck 9(very quiet) and you could look down to see all of the other cabins below you…….this deck is the best deck, if you want a private deck, with no gawkers……or getting looked down on…..hehehe…..so, everyone who attended this cc event(Ft Lauderdale and HMC sailaways) brought with them, something from their hometown/or some sort of drinks/snacks…..we had Chocolates from LA, Nuts from LV, and Jelly Bellies from us from Chicago(they make them here) I brought along like some nice/yet cheap plates from Target and napkins and plastic cutlery……cost me like $12, but we always had something to eat on, and scoop out JB's or nuts with…..so, the hosts had chilled wine from Virginia (delicious) and everyone brought snacks and or booze (no problem bringing it aboard everyone said)
So, first few minutes were awkward, but everyone soon opened up, and met one another, told awesome stories and what to do, where to go, on this trip, it helps if you sail with past Mariners from past HAL cruises…..(this was our first and always sailing with HAL in the future cruise line) YEAH HAL!
So, after we enjoyed the sail away party,
1230pm-rest of the evening-sunned, swam, played basketball, walked deck 3,
made plans to workout rest of the cruise. Ate lunch in Lido, Dinner was first formal at 830pm, everyone dressed nicely. Danced, free drinks in the Art auction(champagne-very good stuff-best secret on the ship).
1am off to bed.
Nassau to St. Maarten 937 miles, average speed 21.5 knots.
Tuesday, March 8th
8am, woke up and went to the gym, we tread milled, biked, and weight lifted, and walked deck 3 about 6 times.
Spent the whole day sailing.
Sun was out and temperature was 77 degrees and very humid--BUT
nice breeze to keep you cool.
Activities enjoyed: the afternoon tea service from 330-4pm, get there on time, Vista dining room, lower level. YUM! Also added benefit, get to meet new Westerdammers…….since the stewards seat you with others……hehehe
Swimming in the aft pool, the water is HEATED, and not very salty, clear and clean and the ship had some motion, so the aft pool was like a wave pool, back and forth.
Pool activities cruise guy, he got upset, and cause 4 people came forward out of
12 that he needed in order to play pool games, nobody got up out of their deck chairs……so he just gave up, and those who got up, got a free t-shirt, two free drink vouchers from him and a medal? SO, TIP, go up at the last possible minute, or be the first, since he said they hardly ever play pool games in the aft pool..hehehehehe
Art auction was very nice, you get unlimited free champagne when you sit through the art auction. We also signed up for the Park West credit card, and as a bonus (much better than 10% that most credit card hawkers promote) we got a $600. free (but not including the $35.00 shipping/insurance fee) painting……and we also got a BID card (no option to buy-just put it away-and leave it alone-unless you buy art) and we won the bid # drawing after the first auction----another $650 worth of artwork……WoooooooooHOOOOOO!
So, goto the art auctions, you get out of the sun for an hour or so, no longer than 90 minutes, get free champagne, open a PW credit account, and get a free artwork(six to choose from)……bring a book, and a jacket, gets a little chilly in these lounges….and enjoy and learn something's about art.(can you tell that I am an up and coming artist?) hehe
The mid pool deck chairs always have towels on them at 8-9am, who does this, I do not know (never caught them), so all I did was, waited a few minutes and if no one showed up or the pool was empty-or the hot tub(those are big clues that these are the annoyed deck chair savers) then I parked there and sat out….the big problem with this pool, is they have a closed(VERY NOISY roof) that opens and closes, based on weather conditions…..so it was stuffy,
so, after claiming the coveted mid pool deck chair, I left and gave it up.
and spent all of our free deck time aft, on the pool deck, or deck 10 which has
room for like 100 deck chairs….this is the spot to sun, and be…..we arrived every morning, unless going on a tour at 10/1030 and plenty of non-saved
deck chairs……(we preferred laying next to the railings, close to the sea, and this was, no people walking back and forth and up and down your row.
Slept most of the day away, in for lunch and line dancing and some other little trivia games….otherwise explored the ship and had a nice time.
Smokers, very few, but those who lit up, I coldly stared out, pulled out my asthma inhaler, and either they were too stupid to move, or too stupid to stop smoking…what more can we say, I HATE SMOKERS and hope you endure a
lifetime of hecklers, leers, and naggers like me…….I made one lady, who just had to sit next to me, put hers out.
Avoid the casino after 8pm, and avoid the cigar bar after 6pm. Other than that we never encountered smokers. Because if we did……….here is one story…
We were sunning on deck 10, very nice and quiet and little busy about 11am this day….when this overtly dressed woman appears and heads for the empty deck chair-next to me….she was like this very overly dark Floridian, sagging and nasty looking, ewe! and she kept, lowering her top swimsuit-in some sort of scandalous maneuver I guess to attract attention…..EEEEEKKKK!, so every ten minutes she would wake up, slather on more of this Deep Tropics tanning, bronzing stuff, and she would puff up……..light up, these long cigarettes……so here is a tip for those who do smoke, stop it.
and if you do not smoke and want to avoid it, I would suggest sitting all the way aft, and then because as the ship moves forward in the water, the smokers smoke will waft/drift downwards towards you and your loved one sitting smoke-free……..if this doesn't work, just be bold as I was.
As she got up to smoke her 3rd cigarette in 30 minutes, I just sat up, jumped up and said, "Hey ,mam, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, if you want to smoke so much go somewhere else!" I guess I yelled it, cause then people clapped and yeah in the background(my wife cowered under the blue towels that you get on the deck) and she packed up, puffed up and left in a hurry……..more claps.
I hate to complain, but enough is enough……..nobody smokes is going to kill me, I will let the endless eating do that! hehehehe
I kept expecting her big gutted, gray, wirely-haired chested, over tanned, sagging husband to come over and say something. One look at me and he didn't. (I am 6'3, 220 pounds and pretty dudely/muscled-you get the picture-go ahead, I dare you to come over…….I am sorry to my poor wife for getting irked by people like this, enough is enough of this smoke!)
6-midnight, walked the whole ship, or so we thought, huge ship, and lots to explore, check out one of the art tours--we missed them all 3, they had, and see new artwork and meet the staff who is very very very very nice--we met so many new people(most from Canada) and enjoyed their stories, and had a nice pre-dinner in the Lido, the dinner before the 830pm dinner…..late night of walking around, donating money to the casino (very few big winners, but we had heard that the craps and poker tables were down $30,000 dollars and never regained it during the cruise--so some people got money, not us) and that romantic mood, usually hits you at night, as you watch your wife get dressed, or laying on the deck sunning herself…..or cozying up with her in the after dinner shows….hehe, this is the love boat folks!
Wednesday, March 9th
830am went to the gym, Laura tread milled for an hour, I biked and did weights, used the awesome gym private showers-very nice, bring your change of clothes and toiletries to freshen up.
1115am arrived in St. Maarten
1140am first tenders left the boat
(Folks unless you are doing a tour, stay aboard
is our advice for the first two hours when the boat arrives and begins tendering) it is toooooooobusy……..so we caught a movie in the Queen Mary lounge called, National Treasure……very good and entertaining EXCEPT
for the Cruise Director voice over and calling out Tender numbers throughout
the most critical times of the movie…(the pa is not supposed to interrupt the movie sound, but it did every time-very annoying, but hey it is Cruise Director).
After the movie, grabbed lunch in the LIDO
and walked right down (2 hours later now 115pm?) and got right aboard a tender to Philipsburg.
Tender ride was gentle this time, usually recommend people to take a motion sickness pill since usually the Tender ride is rough…..and wavy.
2pm got off tender and walked around Philipsburg.
Very busy, watch your wallet, cash (heard pickpockets a plenty)
enjoyed $1 Heinekens beers in barrels up and down Front Street.
Went right into the beach, water cold, right down from Front Street,
the water is semi-clean, but we swam, no showers or bathrooms so, do that before you get off the ship.
Laid out and told the hawkers(walking up and down the ship) to bugger off.
As soon as you talked to one, another one arrived etc.
2-5pm did some shopping, hit the Yoda Guy Store, a ex-Star Wars artist, who now paints Caribbean beach artwork etc…..we bought a Yoda-inspired artwork for $40 and Nick Maley the Yoda Guy was on hand, and he told us about his artwork and personally autographed our artwork….Yeah, don't miss this shop.
5pm, took the tender back, because the tour groups started coming back in droves and it was getting very very busy and the lines were growing, so we headed back….
6-11pm got aboard took a long nap, swimming, ate in Lido, went to dinner at 830pm, saw the show, Diva singer lady, and was very good. Saw some of the sail away and then went to bed.
1035 Last tender from shore, very full I heard.
11pm Sail away from St. Maarten.
(Didn't hear who/if any missed the ship.)
St. Maarten to Road town, Tortola 94 miles, average speed 19.9 knots.
Thursday, March 10th
No gym today since getting very early port time start.
742am Arrived in Tortola, docked at the pier(only holds 2 ships)
otherwise you tender.
930am, walked off the ship, took awesome photos of Westerdam docked and the Princess ship next to us.
10am grabbed a taxi $6.00 per person and went to the Brewers Bay Beach, (15 minute trip)
since 7 ships were in port, and Cane Garden Bay Beach was so very PACKED already and they (beach dudes) said that they were turning away people….I don't know if that was true or not, but Brewers Bay was nice and quiet.
We had some snorkeling, they rented at the bar on the beach, and got a deck lounger for $5.00, shared it…..lots of shade, no showers, but water was very calm, some waves, little rocky beach by the bar…then sandy, walked out very far, with water only up to my waist……very nice, quiet beach. The road trip here was horrifying scary…..steep cliffs, rutty roads…….
1pm, got back to town, after catching a $6.00 ride per person back to Road town(15 minute trip) Went to Caribbe spice shop-YAWN, long walk, hard to maneuver over metal grates, and hot and very humid in the shop up these rickety steps……spent 30 seconds here and left, overpriced shop, the big seller spice was $12.00 and very small.
Went to Pussers Landing and had a nice couple of drinks in the bar, past the gift shop(t-shirts $25 each-yikes!) anyhow very nice bar, stop and have a nice drink.
4pm, headed back to ship, avoided the overcrowded gift huts on the way back to the ship $6.00 for a Tortola key chain? no way, but overall we are a little disappointed, Tortola used to be quiet and reserved, but now is growing, and getting busy….5 years ago Tortola used to have 2 cruise ships a week, now they get 5-7 cruise ships a day……YIKES, I hope this island paradise doesn't get ruined.
5-630pm, watched the runners for the boat, went to take a nap, and watched the beginning of the sail way from Tortola from our cabin bed, then when started to move, we then went up and watched the sail away……I recommend sitting in the aft pool deck, best views of the sail away, and get to see island as we left.
7-11pm Ate pre-dinner in the Lido, pizza. Then 830 pm dinner, casino to watch people lose their money in the slots or the roulette table. Saw the magician(very cool-but my wife knew how each trick was performed).
1130pm Little dancing in the disco, NO Duran Duran or Erasure, or ABC just what they gave him, KILL THE DJ, hehehehehe so off to bed.
(Heard a scandalous story, that a woman, left her husband in Road town, she left with a new lover that she met on the island and just left her husband) He continued on the cruise alone, but we never heard anything else.
Road town to Half Moon Cay, Bahamas 756 miles, 19.9 knots.
FRIDAY, March 11th
Full DAY AT SEA.
Gym 8am, used those awesome showers again.
Laid out, wrapped up like mummies to avoid burning, ate, and explored the ship again, saw new and old friends on board….just enjoyed this lazy at sea day and most people slept in till like 1-2pm, then ship got little busier…..
730pm Had our Renewal Of Vows Ceremony in the Oak Room. Very nice and romantic.
9-midnight, dancing with the DJ music, Casino watching people lose tons of money, and just people watching.
Midnight-off to bed.
Saturday, March 12th
7am arrived in Half Moon Cay. Very rough and sea was very hard and heavy.
sea swells were 6 feet and higher……so they didn't think that we were able to go ashore-since we had to tender.
815am, first rough tender ashore with food supplies, ice, and lunch on the island.
(Grab a tender ticket as soon as they announce it, whether or not you get ashore)----we got to the Coffee café at 745am and waited to get the first tender tickets……..some older Hal Mariners told us last night that if you didn't get off the ship early then you probably would not get off until 1pm or so. Off we went, ride was a little rough, but the captain said we felt safely that everyone who wanted to, could go ashore….
TIP-Bring a colored balloon or colored string/rope to tie to your lounge chair, so you can always find your spot, when you are swimming.
10am Arrived to a deserted beach, grabbed a lounge chair or two, sat with Bluefish and Tbroido families(they had blue clamshells) Laura took a nap, and I went snorkeling, cold water….saw tons of fish, beach sand was soft and sugar powdery, we also took the 15 minute nature hike to the stingray park and saw several romantic spots along the way, very discreet and very private. (Wink wink). (we were advised by several old timers of Hal, that this was the spot to get romantic---did we or
12/noon got lunch at the bbq area, very good, and drank a ton of water.
12-330pm laid out and sunned, swam and enjoyed this true HAL paradise!
334pm last tender from shore.
4pm sail away from Half Moon Cay. Sail away party with the CC Bluefish family-very nice again and a great way to end a cruise.
6-11pm Ate Lido dinner, packed up for the voyage home, gave our room steward a Chicago Cubs baseball cap, he loves the Cubs…..
Half Moon Cay to FTL 272 miles 19.4 knots.
Sunday, March 13th
620am We arrived in FTL at dock #6, left dock #26, so Hal provides a free shuttle bus ride back to dock 26 for those who parked their etc.
830am disembarkation began……I suggest hanging out in the Coffee bar lounge, and wait for your number/color to be called……we actually were playfully acting like we were going to run off the ship, and the guys unloaded saw us and said, if we were all there, just to go ahead and get off…which we did……
915am and such, TIP, this is the most vital and important tip of them all, grab a porter, as you walk to find your luggage…….and have him load up everything, and lug it while you find a cab/taxi, your ride etc…..
I paid the guy $10, and he did everything, best $10 I ever spent…….whew--also the cabs were slow coming and the lines were long to grab a cab……(most cabs only fit in 2-4 suitcases) so long wait plus people had their carry-ons, booze they bought in the islands etc…so our porter grabbed us a mini-bus/long van and it was $8.00 per person, so we got aboard, tipped the porter and arrived at FTL Hollywood airport at 10am, no problems man. AVOID THE LONG TAXI LINE, ask for a white van or the airport express……By the way, you can forgo the long exit lines, once you get your luggage, if you have a porter, you get to go through and exit the shortest line ever in the world!, while everyone else stumbles or shuffles behind wheelchairs and the likes.
LAST WORDS
Remember vacations can be awesome, but dangerous, we saw several hurt or injured people on vacation. This is a moving ship, so people slipped, tripped, fell, got bruised badly, also people got cut on coral, rocks, and sprained ankles were commonplace, also only heard one person was confined to her room, for two days from Norovirus, otherwise use the germ killer machines everywhere…..We had a great trip and you will also aboard the Westerdam…..we will see her again in September 2005! We used to always sail with Carnival, but now we always and only do Holland America!
Bon Voyage everyone and may your sailings with HAL be the best!
Ehrkes from Chicago, Vows Renewed on the Westerdam and New Mariners of Holland America! :D
WESTERDAM REVIEW FOR 3/6/2005 through 3/13/2005
This is a very detailed review of our cruise, just giving you enough of what you want to hear and know about on your cruise.
What more could we say? The whole experience on the Westerdam was,
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
and most WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is the Holland America, Westerdam.
This is a review and comments from our cruise on the Westerdam, which sailing on Sunday, March 6th and returned Sunday, March 13, 2005.
My wife and I did the Eastern Caribbean route and loved it!
About us: Shawn, I am a 35 year old, average guy. I am a computer animator, fine artist, and small business owner of handcrafted pets treats and toys web business called BulaPets.com, which is our hobby, turned small business.
My wife is Laura, she is 36 years old, an above-average beauty. She is a writer, and spent the cruise rereading/editing and developing her characters in her first book that she is writing. She also works for a Fortune 500 company and she does high-end business communications.
The FLYING to the PORT
We flew out via AA, American Airlines. Nice airline, got offered little box lunch with snacks for $3, we declined, brought with us granola bars, Hershey kisses and other little snacks to eat. Offered one small cup of pop for the entire flight, although you could have requested another cup or two, it was more effort dragging the AA crew away from their idle office gossip-rather than assisting us with another pop or two. So we flew out of Chicago O'Hare Airport on the Sunday of the cruise. We got very little sleep, doing last minute packing and stuffing into our carry-ons last minute items(great suggestions from Cruise Critic-plastic suction cups, scotch tape, plastic over the door shoe holder, colorful string and some heavy red or bright colored balloons(tied to beach chairs-always an easy way to find your chair) and some other little things-see Cruise Rituals as what else to bring).
We arrived safely at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood airport(very busy and not very friendly people(airplane people, retail workers and tourists)-both coming and going and mega-long lines everywhere)because we have been here umpteen times we knew the drill, after you get off the airplane-make like the wind or sprint to the bathrooms by the lower level baggage claim area, almost always deserted.
TIP grab the $2.00 wheelie cart(a blessing and such a lifesaver-even if you use it for 5 minutes, nothing is worst that lugging a weeks worth of stuff around with you at the airport…..so then one of you gets the bags, the other one then uses the bathroom, and then switch, look for the Holland America person, holding the sign, they got the ships registers and know which cabin that you are in and can give you extra luggage tags or give you Westerdam or other HAL info…very, very , very NICE people…….thanks to them, the trip was easier…….got our luggage tags, added address labels to them, and added in our other vital information and we were off to the ship.
Got a cab, negotiated first how much….about $12 dollars and I added a small tip….make sure you don't ask the guy at the curb to flag a cab down for you(cabs always keep coming no matter what--and this guy expects a tip(I told this guy to bugger off and thanks for nothing) as we drove away(he tried to keep my door open-so I just went around the other side, got in and shut the door and said lets go……Hey, I am from Chicago, we don't need any aggravations……we arrived at the cruise port, dock 26, it may change weekly…..(we returned at dock #4 and HAL offered a FREE shuttle from dock 4 to dock 26-so that people could get back to their rental cars and where family and friends were waiting to pick them up.
We got out and saw the big sign "Dock workers and PORTERS receive a daily compensation or daily wages, Tipping is not encouraged."
TIP We have always tipped and did so again, I am NOT taking any chances with my luggage sailing away without me……tipped $10 for 4 bags, the female porter smiled and said for us to enjoy the lovely Westerdam. I stood near the entrance, just taking one small glance to make sure that the bags got loaded, and off we went….we got to the port around 1145 am and was very quiet, few cars…..we entered the cavernous warehouse, decorated here and there with some hints of HAL.
Served ice-cold water or fruit juices by HAL workers before getting in line. We got a number, which told the HAL workers which window we got to when we got up front. 8 numbers from 1-8 indicating which HAL agent would help us….don't know if it helped, but I liked the implication of being a number….
Lines were shorter for those who DIDN'T fill out the HAL embarkation forms, and lines LONGER for those who did…..my advice bring one of each of your family members filled out and one blank--see which line is shorter and go with that……we stood in longer line, behind us a National Geographic film crew, or two of the NG film crew guys, complaining, bemoaning, whining all the time in line (15 minutes) about why are we in the long line, we filled out the forms already……GEEZ
As Forrest Gumps mother used to say, "You're on VACATION"(add in that Southern drawl.
Got to the front after 15 minutes or less, was people watching, looking for potential table mates, and hoping who I didn't have to sit with at dinner…hehehe, all in good fun of course. Very courteous and friendly staff member, filled out the rest of our cruise info, we booked the cruise in late January so HAL said we might not get the blue HAL book before the cruise(we didn't) took our pictures and pre-authorized our credit card and put the "hold" on the credit card for two people, seven days, think it was like $450?(he didn't tell us this, we knew from reading the CC postings.
We got out sail and sign cards, which is a light blue card, with your lifeboat station printed on it and you use this for ordering drinks in the bars, to buying something in the gift shop. ALL Bars charge a 15% gratuity automatically.
TIP Bring a plastic id holder, and a cord, also called a lanyard…you can get them at Office max, ten for $3.99 in the office supply aisle. This is where we put our HAL cards, cash and other little things, Laura's hung around her neck, and mine was on a retractable cord, that had a clip on the end of it that clipped and stayed in my pants…..easy access and no more lost cards.
TIP ALWAYS, put your HAL id card, right by your doorway on the little table.
This way, you always know where it is and such and no wasted time hunting for it, take it off when you come in for a nap or the night, and it is going to be there in the morning.
Anyhow, the whole process took 5 minutes or less per family, we all headed to the security line……leave your shoes on, unless they tell you to take them off. Brought bubbled wrapped 3 bottle of wine and 1 bottle of champagne, got through security, very nice and had no questions or problems with bringing our wine aboard…..(packed the corkscrew in the main luggage-handled by our porter).
Walked up and each new area, a Hal person to greet us and tell us where we were and were we going, on a cruise…..hehehe On board about 1215 pm ish……first thoughts, how luxurious, how wonderful, how fancy, how much did this cruise cost us? Luxury everywhere from the carpeting to the hallways old time paintings, to the swords on the main deck aft to the multi-colored flowers in the dining room. And everywhere, fresh flowers, orchids on every table in the Lido, and huge floral arrangements all over the entire ship….I was told by several Mariners and staff that HAL spends nearly a million a week on fresh flowers on all their ships…..is this right?
Red uniformed men ushered us into the elevators, wearing white gloves and whisking us to the Lido deck, while our cabins were readied for our cruise.
THE LIDO FOOD, YUM! SO MUCH TO OFFER EVEN THE PICKIEST, DISCERNING FOOD CRITIC!
The Lido deck, WOW, several food stations throughout, five different areas, the same on both sides of the Lido deck….it is enclosed, invited and very homey……Blue vested guys, carried our trays to our tables, brought us iced tea and water and were very welcoming. Wonderful food choices…..Shawn is the picky eater, but filled his plate each time he went up trying new foods, new dishes and new desserts………there was just so much food to eat, don't overdo it is our advice.
The Lido Deck layout features: 2 large Drink/Beverage/Coffee/Teas 24/hours a day stations. Throughout the day, the Lido restaurant changes for breakfast, served from 6am until 10/1030am for Breakfast. Here is the BREAKFAST layout or you can always use ROOM SERVICE.
TIP leave your completed breakfast card hanging on your cabin door when you retire for the evening(available in the cabin every night)
THE BREAKFAST IN THE LIDO
At the Breakfast, there is the Express-eggs, bacon, breakfast meats, and toast, breads, and bagels(all toasted for you to your liking). There is another breakfast area called the Bistro, which has a full breakfast serving everything breakfast. The Continental area, features, muffins, sweet rolls, cereals(in mini boxes), fresh fruits, and juices, milk etc. There is also 2 omelets areas, and fillings from fruit to seafood for your freshly made omelet's…..for LUNCH, it opens around 1130 am until 2pm for the busy main Lunch areas….and until 4pm for the salad bar and sandwiches counter….
The LUNCH features, The Wok, many Oriental dishes, The Italian, which is pizza (very good and light) and pasta (heavy on the oils in the pasta) and the Bistro, which is meats from the rotisserie and the grill. Also is the huge salad bar with greens, fruits, and mayo-related salads like egg salad or the yummy curry potatoes salad. The Deli makes Dagwood-style sandwiches, no request is denied…..all types of lunchmeats, greens and such……all made to order and even toasted at your liking after the sandwich is made!
The Sweets area, YUM, what more can we say……Fresh ice cream, yogurts, see the daily signs which new flavors, rum raisin, chocolate chip, strawberry, every day and evening it seems to have changed……and if that is not enough sweets for you, how about different cakes, pies, and jelloes, freshly made sweet desserts made throughout the day and changing all the time. You want apple pie alamode at 1130am and then at 2pm, have the chocolate mousse.
There is even a whole huge, multi-shelved case of diabetic or sugar free desserts that tasted so good, especially the mangoes mousse, YUM!
The GRILL, Chicago style hot dogs in the Caribbean, yep at the Grill, condiments a plenty, and so much to offer.Also hamburgers, cheese burgers and every day a new item like bbq ribs, bbq chicken, brats, etc. even vege burgers-wrapped/baked in foil so they don't mess with the meat eaters food.
Also a taco bar that was fully stocked and always fresh and filling.
DINNER IN THE LIDO
YES, dinnertime in the Lido is as fancy as eating dinner in the Vista dining room. The dinner tables on the PORT side of the ship are dressed up for dinner, with white table clothes, fresh table linens and the good china for Lido dinner. The had open for dinner, the Italian, pizza and pasta, The Bistro, roasted meats and chickens, and seafood. and also open is the salad bar, drink stations and the Sweets area. Bar stewards also bring your favorite dinnertime
drink or wines, plus the 15% gratuity…..we ate there twice for dinner, usually a pre-dinner before the dinner, grabbing a slice of pizza, or a sweet before the dinner. You don't have to sit in the fancy Lido dinner area also, you can grab any other open table, and just come as you are……no shorts or swimsuits though…..but we preferred eating dinner in the Vista dining room.
The Vista Dining Room
Very nicely decorated, we had nice table for four, 830pm lower level, main seating.
We had some tablemates, that is until her caveman looking, duffers of ass man decided to get up and find another dinner table and left his wife alone with us until he found a new table and drug her away by her hair, as she spoke in mid-sentence and she got up and left as rudely as he did.
Short and sweet what happened was: At Monday dinner, these two creeps from Los Angeles were sitting at out table when we arrived at 835pm.-who both looked shocked when we came up to our table and met one another…….what happened next became the thorn in my foot the whole trip(and I apologize still to my loving wife for my complaining every night about the LA Creeps)
So, we arrived to dinner, they both looked shocked to see us, and as they sat across from one another, I asked how were they, welcome to our table and the likes, and we sat down…..Mr. LA decided that as he didn't talk to me, that this was not going to be…….and he stormed off, after speaking to his wife? girlfriend? whatever, in a foreign language behind his menu, and he ran off to the maitre d……he complained as far as I could see, as my wife proceeded to make small talk with his wife to break the ice…I can read lips, and he clearly said, what are those two doing at our table, we want some privacy, our own table…..blah blah blah, grunts from a caveman.
ANYHOW, as we looked down at our menus, he must have walked up on the side, lower table, we were up two steps in our table space, and motioned or called for her to leave NOW, she did, I looked up, and gasped, she left in mid sentence, I can clearly recall her saying in her poor English………"Oh, my name means flower and my mans name means tree and together we……"(while we looked down at the dinner menu, then we looked up after her mid-sentence)and POOF, she was gone……..We both looked up, and we were like huh, and what? They both left, without saying a word, no apology, nothing….I was so angry and shocked, I was like did I say something? My wife said no, just maybe they wanted their own table or something as my wife tried to rationalize what had just happened, as I felt a storm a coming, I got so upset, how rude, in this day, the utter gall of some people, how dare you treat people so rudely, you are both such tactless and classless people and I hope you enjoyed your private table (I mentioned this cause first, these were the only creeps that we met on the cruise, and over and over again here and there on our cruise) and I also point out that their new table, the private one, was, next to the bar door, and in a heavy traffic area, and next door to the cleaning, plate stacking, clanging area, and surrounded by at least six, huge tables full of noisy, yet classy cruisers………….you heartless, ungrateful, disrespectful, moronic cavemen! A simple apology would have worked wonders, but I doubt that is in your vocabulary.
Anyhow, all the Vista room dinners were delicious, beautifully prepared, and plenty of choices, even for the fussiest eaters like me.
TIP Go to the Vista Dining room anytime after lunchtime to see/peruse that evenings dinner and dessert menu, and whether it was formal or casual etc….this way, you can eat in the Pinnacle or the Lido, if you don't like/want anything on the dinner menu.
Vista Dining Room SERVICE
The service was alright though, I was a little disappointed, I had to unfold my own table napkin, ask for more water, and the eaten food plate usually sat there for 5-15 minutes between courses, we got our dinner salads out of order (with the main entrée) things like that, no dessert offered on the night of the Baked Alaskan, these little things gave the dining staff lower marks, but I still gave them their earned tips, and marked my comment card with names, and details in order to remedy this situation from occurring to anyone else.
Excellent bar service by Aaron Ocampo, he got tons of praise in writing and to his onboard bosses and extra moola for his service.
THE CABIN
As we ate in the Lido deck, and made small talk with new friends, all wide-eyed and very hungry……over the PA system we got to hear that our cabin rooms were ready around 1pm, and off we went. We met our cabin steward, an older HAL employee and very nice and accommodating. We had cabin # 4158, Upper Promenade deck, our cabin was a sideways cabin, with the door in middle of the cabin. Our room was well appointed, and decorated and very spacious for two people. Our room had the big king-sized bed, with pillow top, nick-named Magna-Bed meaning once you laid down for a short nap, the beds invisible magnets stuck you to the bed and you were out like a light. TIP leave the bathroom light on, door closed for just enough room illumination and set the phone/alarm for like an hour or so if you want a short nap, otherwise you will sleep soundly for hours, missing your fun cruise events etc..hehehe.
In the cabin, we had several large limited edition paintings hanging up, and I put up our 15th anniversary signs along with a silver door star, like were celebs, and I drew up some cartoon figures of me and my wife so that we could always find our cabin, even though we were in a quieter area and aft. Nice and quiet, never heard anything. The bed was to the left as you entered the room, and the bathroom, closets were to the right, there is a yellow/dark drape that you can pull closed, separating the bedroom, from the bathroom which was so COOL, this way we could get dressed and showered, and if anyone came in, they wouldn't get a free nudie show!
The bathroom was nice, small shower, and those ice cold, silver grips/bars kept touching me brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!, but the shower pressure was hard enough and had massaging features like normal shower, hard pouring, and deep tissue. The cabinet held all our stuff, my own shelf and my wife's, and we kept a travel bag under the sink(more room) for extra stuff, feminine products, heating pad, extra medicines for motion sickness, gas etc…..
The closet space was nice, one huge closet for long gowns, dresses and suits, and these wooden hangers with clips on them. The other two closets were large and had big deep shelves (6'2 tall), I am 5'11 and I had to tippy-toe to see on the top shelves…..but the shelves folding up or down to make them smaller, or larger, and they lock in place when/wherever position that you use.
The last closet houses the digital safe, all you need is a 4 digit password to lock it and unlock it, very nice, holds up to 2 lbs of junk if you got it, I put in the digital camera, money, passports, jewelry etc. More shelves for socks, t-shirts and such.
TIP Never bring your photo id onshore with you or your passport. Just bring your HAL sail and sign card. I know, they tell you to, but nobody ever showed it, just the HAL sail and sign card and once last thing to worry about bringing ashore!
RENEWAL OF VOWS
We celebrated our 15th anniversary on the Westerdam, and I bought the ROV package that HAL offers. It is worth the money and the goodies you got, was very very nice! In the cabin, was a beautiful huge, bouquet of fresh flowers to help us celebrate our anniversary. We also got dinner in the Pinnacle, and a private invitation to the Renewal of Vows ceremony, performed by the captain, in a special invitation only party!
The ROV ceremony was attended by only 6 couples, and it is such a treat, and yet the best kept secret of the HAL experience, maybe I shouldn't say anymore, but I will……The ROV ceremony is on the Thursday evening of the cruise, at 730pm. it is held in the Oak Room, Observation deck 10 forward. The ROV was originally supposed to be conducted by our first Captain, Captain Dirk Van Den Berg, who left for some reason and was replaced by Captain Jack Van Coevorden. Two very different Captains…….We liked both, but really enjoyed Captain Dirk, who would playfully say, "Wellllllcome aboardddddddd da Weeeessssssssssttttttttteeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrddddddd ddaaaaaaaammmmmmmm" in his heavy Dutch accent., rolling out all of the R'sssss. Captain Jack, was cordial, but very detailed orientated and a lets go kind of guy.
So you dress to the nines and the ROV is very FORMAL, I wore a very expensive Givency suit and Laura wore a long, lilac dress designed by Jessica McClintock. The event started at 730 pm, on Friday night thou, due to an emergency on Thursday evening with a HAL employee cutting off one of his fingers, and severely injuring himself in a sawing/construction accident with a power saw……The cruise director announced as soon as we left Tortola that an emergency has arisen, and the ROV would be rescheduled for the next evening, and that his crew came first along with his HAL guests, we raced warp 9, over to St. Thomas, where the injured HAL man, was taken off the boat, and rushed to a top level medical facility on St. Thomas, about an hours boat ride way from Tortola…WHEW!
So the event was held on Friday night, and was Captain Dirk was replaced by Captain Jack, among hushed whispers and speculation, where was Captain DIRK? We later heard, he has family matters to attend to back home and that Captains switching was a common occurrence one cruises, with two captains.
The ceremony started with very expensive champagne and snacks, followed by more champagne and crying and sweet sentiments during the ceremony.
The assistant cruise director, Christina from Australia read what would happen and gave some inspiring words to the ROV participants and she even cried with us and stayed at our request after the ROV event to sit in and enjoy the evening with us, about an hour for the whole event….so it starts with The captain, who called out the couples name, they rose, went to the front of the huge Grande fireplace in the Oak Room(check it out what a beautiful room) and he then read out some vows and we repeated them(we have the copy of the vows read if anyone wants them-just ask) and we held hands, cried reading our vows and hearing everyone else do the same. One couple was married for 50 years, another older couple for 4 years, and us 15 years…….I was so nervous, I drank about 4 glasses of champagne and never got buzzed……but soon settled down with the reading of the vows……very romantic and very special part of the cruise.
Additional guests are invited at $12.50 extra/per person-a deal!
Next cruise we take, I will bring a video camera for the occasion and instead I brought our new digital camera and took photos with everyone's permission, and the Captains permission of course and it was a wonderful event.
A professional photographer captures your moment of you and your loved one and you and your loved one and the Captain and these photos are delivered to your cabin a day later-included with the ROV package, photo album. The album is soft and 12 by 14 inches and included the photos. You also get a dinner for two in the Pinnacle, make your reservation early in the week!
The captain also gave us our official ROV certificate, which is a legal document, binding us as Renewing our vows at sea, by a Captain. We enjoyed more fancy snacks and champagne for the remainder of the party, as the Captain was called away. We highly recommend this special event for everyone, it is hard to keep a secret, because when you get into the room, you had better grab those invitation cards before your husband or wife does, or she/he will find out, hunny, what is this renewal of vows? but, tell them to bring along that special outfit or dress that you wear/wore to celebrate a big event!
DINNER IN THE PINNACLE
We had the ROV package so got to choose any night and time for dinner in the Pinnacle, a big event…….people always schedule and then cancel their dinners so try to schedule it the first night on board, if not the next morning….call or stop by. We stopped by, and indicated where specifically we wanted to sit, get a good view, have our dinner and by slipping the host a twenty spot, without my wife knowing, ensured that we would have our table.
Dinnertime came, we arrived, waiting 3 minutes to be greeted, not a busy night. The staff was all very handsome and beautiful and made the dinner even more special. The meats were wheeled out, and explained all about the cuts of meat, where they came from and other specifics…each time a person would come to the table they would announce, "Excuse me please." which was nice, but annoying by the 100th time when dessert was being served.
It was very nice, and everything was exceptionally, but I don't think they should charge for it, I feel the HAL Pinnacle employees should get good tips, that is-if they ever do away with the Pinnacle fees.
I didn’t think the highlighted crab cakes, salads and lava cake was any good, but the meat was awesome and the fancy and tastefully decorated Pinnacle still got high marks on our comment cards.
CRUISE TIMELINE AND Other things to do, and good information to read about our cruise week and some stories and places to avoid and or goto…also a log of some Nautical info (at the end of the cruise, you are given a little handout, showing your cruise log, where you docked, when and miles sailed..very cool to put in to your "photo album" or scrapbook.)
Sunday March 6th
1115am Arrived at Port/Pier #26 (changes)
1115am-1145am Stood in line/welcome aboard/security
1215pm Boarded the Westerdam(long walk up ramps)
1215-1pm Eating in the Lido, small ship explorations
1-4pm Found cabin, unpacked luggage (arrived at 130pm)
230-4pm Took first nap, both out like a light.
415pm Lifeboat drill (10 minutes-DON'T Talk-goes Faster)
435pm-630pm Cruise Critic Party with Bluefish in there
aft cabin #8135 (Thanks, huge cabin, very nice people and very
accommodating) All arranged on the CC website board-thanks Cruise Critic!
520pm boat unmoored
554pm Sail away from Ft. Lauderdale
6-8pm,explored the ship, eat some more, and begin to relax.
830pm Late seating dinner(done at 945pm)
10-midnight did a little walking about/deck 3 wraparound teak deck-awesome
midnight BED
(Heard we left behind 22 people-catch up with us in Nassau)
FTL to Nassau 180 miles, avg speed 15 knots
Monday, March 7th
645am docked in Nassau
8am woke up/brkfast in the Lido
8-9am Headed of the ship,
walked Queens staircase, hiked up some big hills,
little window shopping, already hot (82 plus humidity) at
11/1130am. Found cheap water and pop at small drug store
next door to Straw market (too busy-everything imported from China-nothing handmade anymore there) ;(
1135am Back on board Westerdam. Watched people poke along, until
the ship tooted the horn loudly--then they RAN!
1205pm Unmoored and last minute runners.
(Heard we left behind 4 people here, and that those 20 something people made it aboard along with their luggage-whew!)
1220pm Sail away from Nassau A crewman said it best about Nassau.
"We should have just honked our horn and waved as we sailed by!"
my wife and I agreed.
Learned about a club that is called the Hundred Destinations Club?
they sign a pact/agreement and then every time they visit a new port or
stop or country etc-get something in writing as evidence-like a cash receipt from a food mart, or a activities sheet from a city etc, and then they log those trips with a club master, who in turn, adds them to their website (which is hard to find and private) I don't know, I am just reporting it, anyhow, one of the Cruise Critics people who was on board with us, is a member of this club, and said how happy she was to get this port stop,
because by the end of the cruise she would have almost 7 stops--huh?
(She explained, Nassau 1, St Maarten(Philipsburg) 2, St. Maarten, (Marigot) 3, Tender over to Saba 4, Tortola 5, Tender to Norman island 6, Tender to Baths in Tortola 7, and HMC Bahamas 8)
So she actually ended up with 8 stops! and smiled….I don't know sounds like a lot of work to me……She mentioned that she is up to 80/something now and they get a free big something for the 100th destination….
Anyone heard of this?? Let me know more details please.
Most Westerdammers said that Nassau is now a waste of port from 8-12/noon, we heard maybe 40% of the boat passengers disembarked….the rest hung out, enjoyed the Westerdam!
CRUISE CRITIC PARTIES/EVENTS
We missed drinks with the Judge from CC, because needed a long nap again. Sorry Judge-caught up with him at the end of the cruise at Bluefish Sail away party # 2 from HMC.
Attention all Cruise Critics or CCERS……I highly recommend getting together once or twice during your cruise….preferably somewhere with a nice deck space-or someone's cabin who has a great view or room to spare.
I made up a few signs that said, "Cruise Critics Sail-away or Party here"
and added my own cc logo and said/added, "Private party for Cruise Critic members only!" HEHEHEHE, that got some attention, who is cruise critics and how do I become a member(we advised people to visit the website, and if they are worthy-sign up and start posting correctly) hehehe….Stuck this sign on the door outside the cabin-left door propped open, as people came and went, they told us their cc screen name etc, and we hung a sign as people left saying when and where the next cc event was going to be…..aka 2nd event we missed, drinks with the Judge in the Crows Nest, at 2pm after leaving Nassau.
Anyhow, Bluefish and his wife and younger son, hosted all the cc'ers on board in their cabin # 8135, a huge cabin, with a huge wrap-around deck…..one deck below deck 9(very quiet) and you could look down to see all of the other cabins below you…….this deck is the best deck, if you want a private deck, with no gawkers……or getting looked down on…..hehehe…..so, everyone who attended this cc event(Ft Lauderdale and HMC sailaways) brought with them, something from their hometown/or some sort of drinks/snacks…..we had Chocolates from LA, Nuts from LV, and Jelly Bellies from us from Chicago(they make them here) I brought along like some nice/yet cheap plates from Target and napkins and plastic cutlery……cost me like $12, but we always had something to eat on, and scoop out JB's or nuts with…..so, the hosts had chilled wine from Virginia (delicious) and everyone brought snacks and or booze (no problem bringing it aboard everyone said)
So, first few minutes were awkward, but everyone soon opened up, and met one another, told awesome stories and what to do, where to go, on this trip, it helps if you sail with past Mariners from past HAL cruises…..(this was our first and always sailing with HAL in the future cruise line) YEAH HAL!
So, after we enjoyed the sail away party,
1230pm-rest of the evening-sunned, swam, played basketball, walked deck 3,
made plans to workout rest of the cruise. Ate lunch in Lido, Dinner was first formal at 830pm, everyone dressed nicely. Danced, free drinks in the Art auction(champagne-very good stuff-best secret on the ship).
1am off to bed.
Nassau to St. Maarten 937 miles, average speed 21.5 knots.
Tuesday, March 8th
8am, woke up and went to the gym, we tread milled, biked, and weight lifted, and walked deck 3 about 6 times.
Spent the whole day sailing.
Sun was out and temperature was 77 degrees and very humid--BUT
nice breeze to keep you cool.
Activities enjoyed: the afternoon tea service from 330-4pm, get there on time, Vista dining room, lower level. YUM! Also added benefit, get to meet new Westerdammers…….since the stewards seat you with others……hehehe
Swimming in the aft pool, the water is HEATED, and not very salty, clear and clean and the ship had some motion, so the aft pool was like a wave pool, back and forth.
Pool activities cruise guy, he got upset, and cause 4 people came forward out of
12 that he needed in order to play pool games, nobody got up out of their deck chairs……so he just gave up, and those who got up, got a free t-shirt, two free drink vouchers from him and a medal? SO, TIP, go up at the last possible minute, or be the first, since he said they hardly ever play pool games in the aft pool..hehehehehe
Art auction was very nice, you get unlimited free champagne when you sit through the art auction. We also signed up for the Park West credit card, and as a bonus (much better than 10% that most credit card hawkers promote) we got a $600. free (but not including the $35.00 shipping/insurance fee) painting……and we also got a BID card (no option to buy-just put it away-and leave it alone-unless you buy art) and we won the bid # drawing after the first auction----another $650 worth of artwork……WoooooooooHOOOOOO!
So, goto the art auctions, you get out of the sun for an hour or so, no longer than 90 minutes, get free champagne, open a PW credit account, and get a free artwork(six to choose from)……bring a book, and a jacket, gets a little chilly in these lounges….and enjoy and learn something's about art.(can you tell that I am an up and coming artist?) hehe
The mid pool deck chairs always have towels on them at 8-9am, who does this, I do not know (never caught them), so all I did was, waited a few minutes and if no one showed up or the pool was empty-or the hot tub(those are big clues that these are the annoyed deck chair savers) then I parked there and sat out….the big problem with this pool, is they have a closed(VERY NOISY roof) that opens and closes, based on weather conditions…..so it was stuffy,
so, after claiming the coveted mid pool deck chair, I left and gave it up.
and spent all of our free deck time aft, on the pool deck, or deck 10 which has
room for like 100 deck chairs….this is the spot to sun, and be…..we arrived every morning, unless going on a tour at 10/1030 and plenty of non-saved
deck chairs……(we preferred laying next to the railings, close to the sea, and this was, no people walking back and forth and up and down your row.
Slept most of the day away, in for lunch and line dancing and some other little trivia games….otherwise explored the ship and had a nice time.
Smokers, very few, but those who lit up, I coldly stared out, pulled out my asthma inhaler, and either they were too stupid to move, or too stupid to stop smoking…what more can we say, I HATE SMOKERS and hope you endure a
lifetime of hecklers, leers, and naggers like me…….I made one lady, who just had to sit next to me, put hers out.
Avoid the casino after 8pm, and avoid the cigar bar after 6pm. Other than that we never encountered smokers. Because if we did……….here is one story…
We were sunning on deck 10, very nice and quiet and little busy about 11am this day….when this overtly dressed woman appears and heads for the empty deck chair-next to me….she was like this very overly dark Floridian, sagging and nasty looking, ewe! and she kept, lowering her top swimsuit-in some sort of scandalous maneuver I guess to attract attention…..EEEEEKKKK!, so every ten minutes she would wake up, slather on more of this Deep Tropics tanning, bronzing stuff, and she would puff up……..light up, these long cigarettes……so here is a tip for those who do smoke, stop it.
and if you do not smoke and want to avoid it, I would suggest sitting all the way aft, and then because as the ship moves forward in the water, the smokers smoke will waft/drift downwards towards you and your loved one sitting smoke-free……..if this doesn't work, just be bold as I was.
As she got up to smoke her 3rd cigarette in 30 minutes, I just sat up, jumped up and said, "Hey ,mam, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, if you want to smoke so much go somewhere else!" I guess I yelled it, cause then people clapped and yeah in the background(my wife cowered under the blue towels that you get on the deck) and she packed up, puffed up and left in a hurry……..more claps.
I hate to complain, but enough is enough……..nobody smokes is going to kill me, I will let the endless eating do that! hehehehe
I kept expecting her big gutted, gray, wirely-haired chested, over tanned, sagging husband to come over and say something. One look at me and he didn't. (I am 6'3, 220 pounds and pretty dudely/muscled-you get the picture-go ahead, I dare you to come over…….I am sorry to my poor wife for getting irked by people like this, enough is enough of this smoke!)
6-midnight, walked the whole ship, or so we thought, huge ship, and lots to explore, check out one of the art tours--we missed them all 3, they had, and see new artwork and meet the staff who is very very very very nice--we met so many new people(most from Canada) and enjoyed their stories, and had a nice pre-dinner in the Lido, the dinner before the 830pm dinner…..late night of walking around, donating money to the casino (very few big winners, but we had heard that the craps and poker tables were down $30,000 dollars and never regained it during the cruise--so some people got money, not us) and that romantic mood, usually hits you at night, as you watch your wife get dressed, or laying on the deck sunning herself…..or cozying up with her in the after dinner shows….hehe, this is the love boat folks!
Wednesday, March 9th
830am went to the gym, Laura tread milled for an hour, I biked and did weights, used the awesome gym private showers-very nice, bring your change of clothes and toiletries to freshen up.
1115am arrived in St. Maarten
1140am first tenders left the boat
(Folks unless you are doing a tour, stay aboard
is our advice for the first two hours when the boat arrives and begins tendering) it is toooooooobusy……..so we caught a movie in the Queen Mary lounge called, National Treasure……very good and entertaining EXCEPT
for the Cruise Director voice over and calling out Tender numbers throughout
the most critical times of the movie…(the pa is not supposed to interrupt the movie sound, but it did every time-very annoying, but hey it is Cruise Director).
After the movie, grabbed lunch in the LIDO
and walked right down (2 hours later now 115pm?) and got right aboard a tender to Philipsburg.
Tender ride was gentle this time, usually recommend people to take a motion sickness pill since usually the Tender ride is rough…..and wavy.
2pm got off tender and walked around Philipsburg.
Very busy, watch your wallet, cash (heard pickpockets a plenty)
enjoyed $1 Heinekens beers in barrels up and down Front Street.
Went right into the beach, water cold, right down from Front Street,
the water is semi-clean, but we swam, no showers or bathrooms so, do that before you get off the ship.
Laid out and told the hawkers(walking up and down the ship) to bugger off.
As soon as you talked to one, another one arrived etc.
2-5pm did some shopping, hit the Yoda Guy Store, a ex-Star Wars artist, who now paints Caribbean beach artwork etc…..we bought a Yoda-inspired artwork for $40 and Nick Maley the Yoda Guy was on hand, and he told us about his artwork and personally autographed our artwork….Yeah, don't miss this shop.
5pm, took the tender back, because the tour groups started coming back in droves and it was getting very very busy and the lines were growing, so we headed back….
6-11pm got aboard took a long nap, swimming, ate in Lido, went to dinner at 830pm, saw the show, Diva singer lady, and was very good. Saw some of the sail away and then went to bed.
1035 Last tender from shore, very full I heard.
11pm Sail away from St. Maarten.
(Didn't hear who/if any missed the ship.)
St. Maarten to Road town, Tortola 94 miles, average speed 19.9 knots.
Thursday, March 10th
No gym today since getting very early port time start.
742am Arrived in Tortola, docked at the pier(only holds 2 ships)
otherwise you tender.
930am, walked off the ship, took awesome photos of Westerdam docked and the Princess ship next to us.
10am grabbed a taxi $6.00 per person and went to the Brewers Bay Beach, (15 minute trip)
since 7 ships were in port, and Cane Garden Bay Beach was so very PACKED already and they (beach dudes) said that they were turning away people….I don't know if that was true or not, but Brewers Bay was nice and quiet.
We had some snorkeling, they rented at the bar on the beach, and got a deck lounger for $5.00, shared it…..lots of shade, no showers, but water was very calm, some waves, little rocky beach by the bar…then sandy, walked out very far, with water only up to my waist……very nice, quiet beach. The road trip here was horrifying scary…..steep cliffs, rutty roads…….
1pm, got back to town, after catching a $6.00 ride per person back to Road town(15 minute trip) Went to Caribbe spice shop-YAWN, long walk, hard to maneuver over metal grates, and hot and very humid in the shop up these rickety steps……spent 30 seconds here and left, overpriced shop, the big seller spice was $12.00 and very small.
Went to Pussers Landing and had a nice couple of drinks in the bar, past the gift shop(t-shirts $25 each-yikes!) anyhow very nice bar, stop and have a nice drink.
4pm, headed back to ship, avoided the overcrowded gift huts on the way back to the ship $6.00 for a Tortola key chain? no way, but overall we are a little disappointed, Tortola used to be quiet and reserved, but now is growing, and getting busy….5 years ago Tortola used to have 2 cruise ships a week, now they get 5-7 cruise ships a day……YIKES, I hope this island paradise doesn't get ruined.
5-630pm, watched the runners for the boat, went to take a nap, and watched the beginning of the sail way from Tortola from our cabin bed, then when started to move, we then went up and watched the sail away……I recommend sitting in the aft pool deck, best views of the sail away, and get to see island as we left.
7-11pm Ate pre-dinner in the Lido, pizza. Then 830 pm dinner, casino to watch people lose their money in the slots or the roulette table. Saw the magician(very cool-but my wife knew how each trick was performed).
1130pm Little dancing in the disco, NO Duran Duran or Erasure, or ABC just what they gave him, KILL THE DJ, hehehehehe so off to bed.
(Heard a scandalous story, that a woman, left her husband in Road town, she left with a new lover that she met on the island and just left her husband) He continued on the cruise alone, but we never heard anything else.
Road town to Half Moon Cay, Bahamas 756 miles, 19.9 knots.
FRIDAY, March 11th
Full DAY AT SEA.
Gym 8am, used those awesome showers again.
Laid out, wrapped up like mummies to avoid burning, ate, and explored the ship again, saw new and old friends on board….just enjoyed this lazy at sea day and most people slept in till like 1-2pm, then ship got little busier…..
730pm Had our Renewal Of Vows Ceremony in the Oak Room. Very nice and romantic.
9-midnight, dancing with the DJ music, Casino watching people lose tons of money, and just people watching.
Midnight-off to bed.
Saturday, March 12th
7am arrived in Half Moon Cay. Very rough and sea was very hard and heavy.
sea swells were 6 feet and higher……so they didn't think that we were able to go ashore-since we had to tender.
815am, first rough tender ashore with food supplies, ice, and lunch on the island.
(Grab a tender ticket as soon as they announce it, whether or not you get ashore)----we got to the Coffee café at 745am and waited to get the first tender tickets……..some older Hal Mariners told us last night that if you didn't get off the ship early then you probably would not get off until 1pm or so. Off we went, ride was a little rough, but the captain said we felt safely that everyone who wanted to, could go ashore….
TIP-Bring a colored balloon or colored string/rope to tie to your lounge chair, so you can always find your spot, when you are swimming.
10am Arrived to a deserted beach, grabbed a lounge chair or two, sat with Bluefish and Tbroido families(they had blue clamshells) Laura took a nap, and I went snorkeling, cold water….saw tons of fish, beach sand was soft and sugar powdery, we also took the 15 minute nature hike to the stingray park and saw several romantic spots along the way, very discreet and very private. (Wink wink). (we were advised by several old timers of Hal, that this was the spot to get romantic---did we or
12/noon got lunch at the bbq area, very good, and drank a ton of water.
12-330pm laid out and sunned, swam and enjoyed this true HAL paradise!
334pm last tender from shore.
4pm sail away from Half Moon Cay. Sail away party with the CC Bluefish family-very nice again and a great way to end a cruise.
6-11pm Ate Lido dinner, packed up for the voyage home, gave our room steward a Chicago Cubs baseball cap, he loves the Cubs…..
Half Moon Cay to FTL 272 miles 19.4 knots.
Sunday, March 13th
620am We arrived in FTL at dock #6, left dock #26, so Hal provides a free shuttle bus ride back to dock 26 for those who parked their etc.
830am disembarkation began……I suggest hanging out in the Coffee bar lounge, and wait for your number/color to be called……we actually were playfully acting like we were going to run off the ship, and the guys unloaded saw us and said, if we were all there, just to go ahead and get off…which we did……
915am and such, TIP, this is the most vital and important tip of them all, grab a porter, as you walk to find your luggage…….and have him load up everything, and lug it while you find a cab/taxi, your ride etc…..
I paid the guy $10, and he did everything, best $10 I ever spent…….whew--also the cabs were slow coming and the lines were long to grab a cab……(most cabs only fit in 2-4 suitcases) so long wait plus people had their carry-ons, booze they bought in the islands etc…so our porter grabbed us a mini-bus/long van and it was $8.00 per person, so we got aboard, tipped the porter and arrived at FTL Hollywood airport at 10am, no problems man. AVOID THE LONG TAXI LINE, ask for a white van or the airport express……By the way, you can forgo the long exit lines, once you get your luggage, if you have a porter, you get to go through and exit the shortest line ever in the world!, while everyone else stumbles or shuffles behind wheelchairs and the likes.
LAST WORDS
Remember vacations can be awesome, but dangerous, we saw several hurt or injured people on vacation. This is a moving ship, so people slipped, tripped, fell, got bruised badly, also people got cut on coral, rocks, and sprained ankles were commonplace, also only heard one person was confined to her room, for two days from Norovirus, otherwise use the germ killer machines everywhere…..We had a great trip and you will also aboard the Westerdam…..we will see her again in September 2005! We used to always sail with Carnival, but now we always and only do Holland America!
Bon Voyage everyone and may your sailings with HAL be the best!
Ehrkes from Chicago, Vows Renewed on the Westerdam and New Mariners of Holland America! :D